Nokia Lumia 710 and 800 getting Wi-Fi hot spot update
An update that brings with it Internet tethering is reportedly about to roll out to the two Lumia handsets in certain countries.
Nokia's Lumia 710 and 800 phones may be one step closer to gaining the ability to act as Wi-Fi hot spots, though the company itself isn't confirming or revealing any details on the matter.
A changelog of the latest update posted by Nokiapoweruser seems to reveal that the tethering feature will be rolling out for phones in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Vietnam. Screenshots of the update point to the 710 and 800C (the Chinese variant of the 800) as the recipients of the update.
No specific date was listed as to when the update would actually launch. Nokiapoweruser said that the "update release seems to be closer now," while the Verge is eyeing a staggered rollout and expects the update to reach all Lumia 710 and 800 phones shortly.
A Nokia spokesman told CNET last month that a future update would add hot-spot functionality to the 710 and 800. But the company squashed the Nokiapoweruser report that such an update would be imminent.
"This is a post not talking about an actual update, but supposition about what could be a future update and what might be part of it," a Nokia spokesman told CNET, "and unfortunately, we cannot comment on any such speculation, except to say that we will be bringing tethering to the Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 710 in the future - although I can't offer any details on timing or specific variants."
When and if the update goes live, the Lumia 710 and 800 will join their 610 and 900 counterparts, both of which already offer Internet tethering out of the box.
The feature allows the phone to act as a hot spot, providing online access for up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices.
Updated 7:00 a.m. PT with response from Nokia.